Rebellion, revolution, and rage collide in the highly anticipated sequel to Iron Widow as Zetian, the newly crowned empress of Huaxia, attempts to quell unrest, reinforce her position, and enact real change, all while appeasing the gods – and the newly resurrected First Emperor, Qin Zheng, in Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao.
As this is a sequel, this review will contain minor spoilers and quotes from this book.
Picking up in the immediate action that Iron Widow left us in – we follow alongside Zetian as she comes to terms with her own impulsivity and exhaustion as she pilots the Yellow Dragon, a legendary grand Chrysalsis, or mech, just after she dethrones the conservative and corrupt government of Huaxia by stomping out the Palace of Sages, which included not just those responsible for the Pilot program, but also her remaining family.
The memory – and recap, which features a brief prologue from Qin Zheng’s POV as he wakes up from stasis – is just the beginning of a spiral of implication and truth, a dilemma that sets the tone for the novel, one wracked with unrest and upheaval as Zetian realizes, very quickly, that she is uninformed and underprepared to take on the power that comes with ruling. Not only is she inexperienced and uneducated (through no fault of her own, but rather due to her poor upbringing on the frontier), but she’s immediately thrust into a complex, hate-fueled relationship that hinges on power in her politically appointed marriage to Qin Zheng.
Add in PTSD and survivor’s guilt in the form of reoccurring nightmares, and Zetian’s not doing well. Her ferocity and fury remain, simmering beneath the surface, but overthrowing the Sages did little to give her the freedom she desired. Instead, her agency is immediately taken away and placed into the hands of Qin Zheng who: reverses her foot binding without her consent while she is recovering from qi burnout; proposes a traditional marriage, not just to appease his own values, but Huaxia’s misogyny and patriarchal stance; and, harvested to provide an heir without her knowledge.
Every man that tries to control her does so with the intention of making her more palatable to society. She’s too loud, too impulsive, too opinionated – all of which are considered a threat. In the same way that Gao Yizhi and Li Shimin were meant to balance her public image and mellow her out in Iron Widow, Qin Zheng hopes to achieve the same thing by reigning her in, with the end result being drastically different from its predecessor. If you’re going into Heavenly Tyrant looking for a sweet, wholesome polycule romance you’ll be sorely disappointed. The circumstances have changed; Huaxia has changed; Zetian has changed – and while she still adores both men, Heavenly Tyrant places her in a difficult position: do anything to survive, fight the gods, and bring Shimin back, even if it means a toxic political marriage laced with rage-fueled sexual tension and abandoning everything she ever loved.
The sound of rain fills the silence where Shimin once existed. It’s incredible, how someone could be gone from this world, literally whisked away from the mortal earth, yet leave so many pieces behind. Including me and Yizhi.
– excerpt from Xiran Jay Zhao’s Heavenly Tyrant
With limited options, Zetian takes opportunities to enact change, starting with the manipulation of Qin Zheng himself. While there is undeniable enemies-to-lovers energy and attraction between the two leaders, their entire relationship is a power play, a toxic push and pull to gain political favor. It is not a thing born of love or affection, but hatred, pure and simple. Zetian takes her rage out on Qin Zheng – and while there is certainly chemistry and tension between them – their relationship is not one of love or romance. It is political and abusive and manipulative and has dark romance vibes, pushing the boundaries of its intended audience into new adult while simultaneously supporting the idea that everyone has a choice when it comes to sex. At the same time, it remans unabashedly queer and intense. Zetian and Qin Zheng are full of passion and heat, and chemistry between them flares, fueled continuously by their hatred of one another; intimacy between them is a release and a game. It is merciless and raw and hungry. It’s intimate but not necessarily explicit, and it features elements of BDSM and pegging.
While Yizhi – and Shimin – are largely absent from this book due to strict political adherence under Qin Zheng, who has a very traditional, heteronormative facing public persona (he’s not heteronormative, nor does he condone Zetian’s open stance on sexuality or relationships). It is, in large part, to appease the traditional patriarchy, but is also a means of control, one that keeps Zetian (and Yizhi) in line. The two are forbidden from seeing each other and forced to meet in secret, and what few meetings they do share are whispered and tense, full of pain and, ultimately betrayal. Love is the ultimate motivator fueling their actions – their love for each other, and Shimin – but Xiran Jay Zhao breaks hearts by forcing them apart in the worst way. It’s messy, brutal, and emotionally devastating, but leaves a lasting imprint on the reader, who slowly learns more as preparations to face the gods put the characters into situations that allow us to learn who they were before – Shimin, as a student; Yizhi, as a member of the wealthy elite looking for a way out.
Every oppressor, through their denial of humanity, sows the seeds of their own destruction.
Here we are. The seeds that bloomed.– excerpt from Xiran Jay Zhao’s Heavenly Tyrant
Political upheaval and rebuilding efforts are the biggest driving factors in Heavenly Tyrant, all of which contribute to its length and pace. Xiran Jay Zhao takes pains to inform the reader on the concepts of laborism, nationalization, and a working class revolution, and to some readers, the heavy-handedness with which explanations are given may feel a little too on the nose, but I found them to be tremendously relevant as the political climate in the US deteriorates. Heavenly Tyrant is a book full of injustice and propaganda and rage; within its pages Xiran Jay Zhao challenges the reader to stand up against misogyny, sexism, and capitalism through Zetian, who may not know how to rule a nation, but does understand the need for basic human rights and education.
There’s no talking this out. We could list each other’s atrocities all day and not produce any change of mind, because this was never really about the morality of who deserves to live or die. This is a showdown between two classes of people with opposing interests. Whoever wins gets to tell the story.
– excerpt from Xiran Jay Zhao’s Heavenly Tyrant
The reader learns through her, and as the series (yes, it’s been announced that this is a series, not a duology) progresses into new adult, the topics and conversations become more complex, but no less important. Heavenly Tyrant is a reminder that reading is a political act in and of itself, as Zetian finds herself in the middle of a revolution that she must navigate on her own terms and within her own means – and she does, in small ways, supporting women and girls all while she challenges her own oppressor in Qin Zheng. Zetian openly supports and advocates for female pilots to be given the opportunity to enlist; she establishes the Phoenix Alliance to promote, uplift, and provide basic needs and protection for women; and she challenges gender and societal norms to meet her own needs and desires: personally, professionally, politically, and sexually.
Although Heavenly Tyrant is politically focused and, therefore, has slower pacing compared to its predecessor, it is not without mech battles or further historical rewrites. Xiran Jay Zhao adds more depth and complexity to not only the pilot system itself, but to spirit metal, battle links, and all things Chrysalis. Chinese history continues to be reimagined as well, with new side characters added in Zetian’s personal aide, confidant, and teacher, Wan’er, who not only helps her to learn to read and write, but fills her in on history and society without judgement or scorn.
People aren’t interested in facts; they’ll believe the spin on a story that best reinforces their existing opinions.
– excerpt from Xiran Jay Zhao’s Heavenly Tyrant
At its core, Heavenly Tyrant is a novel of betrayal and deception, brimming with power plays and manipulation to achieve change. Rage collides with hope for a better future and Xiran Jay Zhao isn’t afraid to pull punches in order to enforce political messages or denounce traditionalism. It isn’t always easy, and Zetian is a perfect example of that, torn between duty and obligation, desire and necessity, right and wrong. Throughout the novel, she’s forced to come face to face with decisions that go directly against her morals and values. Existential crisis, guilt, and revulsion rule her thoughts and decisions, and she is forced, time and again, to work with what she has in order to provide hope for the women and girls of Huaxia, in particular.
Heavenly Tyrant features commentary on laborism, capitalism, and gender roles, and Zetian does what she can to fight back in small, yet impactful ways by challenging and manipulating Qin Zheng; their dynamic in itself is a careful power play, a perfectly done dynamic filled with tension. As Zetian goes against traditional gender roles and expectations, Xiran Jay Zhao writes with rage and revulsion that jumps off the page, especially where pregnancy is concerned. It was refreshing and reaffirming to see pregnancy as something undesired and viscerally repulsive in this book rather than a joy to be celebrated. As someone that has always found the idea of pregnancy and childbirth to be abhorrent on a personal level, I really appreciated and admired the way Zetian’s feelings on the subject were handled. Zetian has numerous reasons for avoiding pregnancy – all of which are valid – so it was nice to see this personal dilemma be a central part of the plot and her relationship with Qin Zheng.
I’m a prisoner in this world, in this era, in this room, in this body. It never ends. It will never end.
– excerpt from Xiran Jay Zhao’s Heavenly Tyrant
While the plot moves at a much slower pace compared to Iron Widow, it is no less impactful. Heavenly Tyrant is ultimately a slow-burn fury culminating in an intense and bizarre battle that turns everything you thought you knew about the world upside down in a chaotic, futuristic shuffle. Gods are challenged and revealed; betrayal – on multiple counts – ensues; and a cliff-hanger of epic proportions plunges the fate of Huaxia into the unknown – again.
The end result is a mindfuck of intense and epic proportions that has the same charm, but very different vibes compared to Xiran Jay Zhao’s debut. Fierce feminism collides with political revolution, culminating in a climatic revelation. Where Iron Widow was feminist rage paired with understanding and tender moments of hope, Heavenly Tyrant is eat-the-rich rage paired with manipulation and betrayal in a world already lost. Through it all, Xiran Jay Zhao writes with unflinching honesty and shocking relevancy, urging readers to think and act.
Heavenly Tyrant is a political science fiction slow burn that features a charismatic, unabashed heroine that is unafraid to take on the world through manipulation and rage without shying away from who she is or what she stands for – even if it means temporarily following the rules to enact the perfect revenge. It’s messy and complicated and opens up the door for explicit upper young adult fiction, challenging boundaries and borders and making a stand for new adult fiction.
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